


Rebels and Roses

by orphan_account



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Fluff, M/M, Prince!Phil, Rebellion, Royalty, princes au, rebel!dan, royal guard!dan
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-08
Updated: 2017-08-12
Packaged: 2018-12-13 00:05:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11747985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Phil is the second prince of the kingdom of Estairia. He tries his best to help everyone he can. Throughout the kingdom, he is known for his acts of kindness to the lower classes.Dan is Phil's new guard. But Dan has secrets he's hiding from Phil, who keeps trying to get to know him.There's been rumors of a rebellion throughout the country. But the rumors won't stay rumors for much longer.When everything starts changing, can they come out of it the same?





	1. Peach Rose

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first chaptered fic! Any feedback is appreciated. Hope you enjoy!

Philip Lester, second son of Robert Lester, King of Estairia, was bored. He was a prince, but he wasn’t the crown prince. There was no big quests for him to do, no beautiful ladies to spend his days with, and no more education. 

So with nothing better to do, he’d made it his mission to help the less fortunate of the kingdom. The people who could barely find enough food to stay alive, who sat on the streets begging, whose children would grow up and take their place.

And so Prince Philip made it his duty to try and break this cycle of poverty. So he gave them food, and helped them find jobs, and tried to pass legislation to improve their lives. He’d set up food pantries and orphanages, offering both jobs and help.

And for this, he was loved. He was the only noble who the people saw was actually trying, and the people loved him for it. Throughout the land, he was known as Prince Philip the Kind, and when he traveled, he was cheered for more than the rest of his family.

But there were rumors of rebellion. When he helped people, he heard the whispers. The whispers that said that they wanted the king off the throne. But he pretended he didn’t hear them, knowing that his father was not the best king.

And so his days passed, with him helping those who needed it most, and in return they gave him their gratitude.

 

Phil was woken up by the sunlight streaming through his window. He must have forgotten to shut his drapes once again. He stretched, then got out of bed. Peering out his window, he saw the gardener at work, trimming the hedges. Perhaps later he’d go and help him. He enjoyed gardening, and the gardener always was happy for his help and company. 

He pulled on a shirt and pants, before leaving in search of breakfast. As he left his rooms in his pursuit of food, he noticed that there was a new guard there. He shouldn’t be surprised. After all, one of his guards had just left to be with his new family. 

When he looked at this new guard, his heart skipped a beat. This new guard was gorgeous. He had dark brown curly hair that matched his dark brown eyes. His hair and eyes contrasted against his unusually pale skin. He was everything Phil could ever want in a man, but could never have.

Both out of politeness and a want to get to know him better, Phil asked, “What’s your name?”

Looking Phil in the eyes, he replied, “My name is Daniel, my lord.”

Daniel quickly averted his eyes, as if suddenly realizing it was a bad idea to look a prince in the eyes. Even though Phil was known for being nice, he seemed nervous.

“Daniel, if you ever need anything, you are welcome to ask me for my help.”

Phil wanted Daniel to be at ease around him. After all, it wouldn’t help him much if his guards were afraid of him. If they saw him as a friend, they were more likely to do a good job protecting him. Not to mention, he would be able to help them in return.

As Phil walked to breakfast, he was aware of Daniel walking only a few steps behind him the entire way. It was his job to follow and protect him, but he still wished that he would be able to walk next to him as a friend.

 

After breakfast, Phil decided to go to the gardens. Sadly, the gardener had already moved on from his gardens, but he still decided to walk through them. 

As he was admiring the roses, he realized that he wanted to get to know Daniel better. He would most likely serve him for a very long time, so it was in both of their best interests to know each other better.

Speaking up, Phil asked, “Daniel, do you have any family here in the castle?”

Daniel hesitated, unsure of why the Prince was talking to him. He was just supposed to guard him, not entertain him. But if the rumors were true, he most likely just wanted to get to know him. The thought was frightening.

Softly, he replied, “No, my lord.” He had no blood family, and he never had. He’d grown up on the streets. His family were the other boys, the ones who looked out for him and he looked out for them on the streets.

“You don’t need to call me ‘my lord’. I’ve never been very fond of all the etiquette and rules and such. Just call my Phil.”

“Of course, my l– Phil.”

Dan couldn’t help but marvel at how bizarre Phil was. A prince who didn’t like etiquette, who talked to his guards, and who helped everyone? He was truly one of a kind. 

Daniel seemed like a mystery to Phil. A royal guard who has no family, who introduced himself without a last name? He was truly one of a kind.

Curiosity getting the better of him, Phil asked, “Daniel, do you have a lady friend? You are welcome to take a rose back to her if you so wish.” 

Phil would never admit that he was asking not to be kind, but because he wanted to know for his own sake. He could never tell Daniel that. If he did have a lady friend, he was welcome to take a rose for her. But if he didn’t… 

Phil couldn’t let himself think of that. He was betrothed to someone, a fair princess of another country. Someone who was politically important, and he had to marry for the sake of his country. So he couldn’t think of what could happen if Daniel was single.

“I have no lady friends, I’m afraid. Thank you for the kind offer, Phil.”

Phil seemed incredibly nice. So it should have come as no surprise when he offered to Dan, “I can set you up with someone, if you’d like. I’m sure there’d be many single ladies here who would love a man who looks like you.”

Did Phil just say he was attractive? He doubted he was this prince’s type, especially considering he was male. 

But Prince Phil was exactly his type. His jet black hair, which Dan secretly suspected was dyed, his piercing blue eyes, and his overall demeanor were all Dan could ever hope for and more in a man. What a shame Phil was not only a prince, but engaged to someone as well.

Daniel had yet to respond to his idea. Perhaps Phil had overstepped the boundary of their barely their friendship. It would be just like him, to be too nice and generous.

Just as he was about apologize, Daniel spoke, “As kind as that offer is, I’m afraid I must refuse. I am… not interested in a lady friend. And please, call me Dan, not Daniel. It’s what my friends call me.”

Dan took a deep breath. He couldn’t believe that he had basically come out as gay to a prince. Of course, he hadn’t said that, but it would still most likely be enough to get him locked away forever. 

And when he looked over at Phil, he saw that he looked disappointed. Of course he would screw up like this, Of course he would accidentally come out to one of the most powerful people in the country when he had a mission. This was just like him. He was such an idiot sometimes.

Phil sighed internally. It was just his luck that his incredibly attractive guard “wasn’t interested in a lady friend”. He may as well have just straight up said he was gay. 

And he’d called Phil his friend. Or kinda said it in the same way he kinda said he was gay.

But when Phil looked at Dan, the only look on his face was terror. It took a second, but then Phil realized. Dan had just come out to a prince. He most likely thought he was going to be thrown in jail or executed for this. 

In his country, being homosexual was punishable by a lifetime locked away. And Phil hated it. He was forced to hide who he truly was, along with countless other members of society. He would be forced to marry a woman, and he hated it. But he couldn’t change it, as much as he tried.

The only thing he could do was try and keep homosexuals out of jail. Which is what he would do for Dan.

“Don’t worry. You seem like a wonderful person and excellent guard. I wouldn’t want to see you rot away in a cell. Your secret is safe with me.”

Dan smiled. He truly was the perfect prince.

Looking over, Dan noticed a bush full of peach roses. Remembering the time he had worked for a florist who loved to explain to Dan all the meanings of the flowers, he plucked a peach rose.

Handing the rose to Phil, Dan explained, “Peach roses symbolize gratitude. So thank you for keeping my secret.”

Dan had just given Phil a flower. Not only had Dan given him a flower, he had also given him a flower that he knew the meaning of. Dan truly seemed full of surprises. 

Phil held the flower as they continued their walk. Back in his rooms, Phil put the peach rose in a vase on his desk, where he could look at it whenever he pleased and remember their conversation. To him, it was the little things that mattered.

And he wanted to know every single little thing about Dan.

 

Dan had a job to do. He couldn’t be getting distracted by Phil. He was supposed to be watching him and protecting him, not telling him his secrets and giving him flowers.

Late that night, Dan snuck out of the castle. The other guards most likely assumed he was going out to get drunk or find a less than desirable lady, but in reality he was going to a meeting.

Even though he was one of Phil’s guards by day, he worked for the rebellion at night.

As he neared the house of one of the leaders, he took a deep breath. He had to put on a professional face. He would be the one to vouch for Phil’s character. It was his job to decide whether Phil was worthy, and he had already made up his mind.

He knocked a code on the door he was told to go to. When the door opened, he was greeted by the familiar faces of the other members.

As he took his seat at the table of spies, he smiled. This was where he felt most at home. Not in the castle with the other guards, or on the streets with the other orphans. It was here, plotting how to make the country better. 

The royals in the palace may think they’re in charge, but it was the people who met in secret who made the real decisions. They were the ones who had the power to change the country, for the better or for the worse.

When it was Dan’s turn to give his report, he recounted his day. He told of how kind Phil had been, how much he’d wanted to know, and how he had kept Dan’s secret. He told them that Phil truly seemed to live up to his reputation. That the niceties weren’t just an act for the public. Phil really was that good of a person.

But decisions couldn’t be made on just one day of observation. So Dan was sent back, and he would be expected to report back once again tomorrow.

But he saw that his words were having an effect. Everyone else’s stories lined up with his, and everyone seemed to believe that Phil could do good.

Contrary to popular belief, the rebels didn’t want to overthrow the entire royal family. They just wanted to skew the line of succession until Phil was on the throne.

Phil was the last hope of avoiding a coup, so Dan had to prove to the rebels that Phil was good enough.


	2. Yellow Rose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 2! It gets a bit rambly in the end, but I hope you enjoy anyways!

When Phil woke up the next day, the first thing he saw was the peach rose. Not only was the flower absolutely stunning, but it brought back the memories of the previous day. He remembered Dan, his new guard, whom was perhaps the most attractive human in the world. Who also happened to be interested in men, a secret that Phil was keeping for him.

Phil got out of bed eagerly, hoping to find and talk to Dan once again. Today was the usual day he’d go out and bring food to people, so it was possible he could take Dan with him. He had seemed interested in Phil’s work, which not many people were. 

He opened the doors of his rooms, having decided to go find Dan and bring him along. Just to his luck, Dan was on duty today as well. He was standing outside Phil’s door, looking as alert as ever. To Phil, he looked incredibly handsome.

“Good morning, Dan,” Phil greeted him.

“Good morning, Phil,” Dan replied, just now turning his head to acknowledge Phil’s presence. He too smiled when he saw Phil. His dimple appeared when he smiled, and for that reason alone Phil wanted to keep him happy and smiling forever.

Phil started walking towards the dining hall, intending to get himself some breakfast before gathering food to take with him. Dan respectfully walked behind Phil, still staying alert for any dangers.

As they walked, Phil explained to Dan, “Today is the day I usually go into the city. I usually take a guard with me, so if you’d like, I’ll take you. Of course, we must gather food from the cooks, and I’d prefer if you changed out of your official armor into something more… normal looking.”

As if on cue, Dan responded, “I’d love to go with, Phil. And if you so desire, I will change into common clothes.”

Phil’s heart fluttered. Dan would be going with him today. And the way Dan had phrased his last sentence, it sounded as if Phil was in charge of Dan. Which technically, Phil was in charge of Dan. But Phil didn’t want to be a dictator, so he wouldn’t flaunt that.

Even if his father and brother spent all their time bossing their servants around, Phil didn’t have the heart to do it. They’d called him weak, but his servants had called him kind. And in the end, Phil supposed it really was the servants who it was best to have on his side.

His father and brother knew how much everyone loved him. They knew what would happen if something were to happen to him. They were practically powerless against Phil, and they both knew it.

But Phil was kind, so he wouldn’t brag or take advantage of such a thing.

 

As Dan watched Phil eat his breakfast, he couldn’t help but worry about their excursion into the city. What if he ran into someone he knew? Of course, everyone knew better than to out him to Phil about his true allegiances, but he didn’t want to have to explain his past.

Because once upon a time, Dan had lead one of the most famous gangs of all. He had been leader of the Howells, a group that traveled in a pack and was almost family. They were a group of orphans who stole to get by. And when they could, they stole to help others as well.

He’d not only been leader, but he’d founded the group as well. They were his pride and joy. He took care of everyone, and in doing so, he was well known and well liked. 

They were branded as a gang by those who had never seen them, only heard over exaggerated stories of their exploits. The upper classes saw them as villains, while the lower classes saw them as heroes.

And then Phil had started doing his work. He had taken over their job. With their places filled, they gradually phased out of existence until they were only rumors once more.

Today, his jobs would be coming full circle. He went from helping the poor, to working for the rebellion, to working for the royal guards, to helping the poor once more.

 

After Phil finished his breakfast and Dan calmed himself down, they both changed into common clothes. Phil noticed that Dan appeared to be lacking the usual muscles a guard would have. But Phil didn’t mind. He’d never found muscles that attractive anyways.

They went to the kitchens next. The cook greeted Phil with a warm smile and a hug, handing him the three baskets full of food he’d hand out today. Phil passed two of them to Dan, keeping the third to start handing out from.

When Dan peeked inside the basket, he was shocked at the sheer quantity of food each one contained. There was enough food in each basket to feed all of the Howells at the peak of their membership for an entire week. And it was all healthy food that wouldn’t overwhelm the stomach of someone who wasn’t used to it.

Dan was so surprised by the food that he hadn’t noticed Phil staring at him. Phil quietly asked, “Is something wrong, Dan?”

Quickly, Dan shook his head. “No, no, not at all. It’s just so much food. It’s just… it’s truly amazing what you’re doing for these people Phil.”

Phil blushed. Dan was one of the first people in the castle who was pleased at what Phil was doing. It was a surprise, albeit a welcome one.

Phil quickly turned to head for the door, hoping to hide his blush from Dan. After all, what would he think of a prince who was embarrassed by his own accomplishments. 

As they headed into the poorer parts of town, Phil noticed how Dan seemed to be unsure. As he watched how Dan nimbly avoided tripping over pipes and falling into holes without even looking, it all began to make sense to Phil.

The reason Dan had no last name, the reason he was glad Phil was doing what he was doing, the reason he was shocked at the food, and now the reason Dan knew this area like the back of his hand. Dan grew up poor. 

It shouldn’t shock him, but it did anyway. It also made Phil’s heart ache. He’d seen firsthand what these people went through, and he didn’t want to imagine Dan going through that as well.

But he instead ignored those thoughts for now. He had a job to do.

He always loved how happy these people were to see him. As he handed out bread, the smiles greeted him just as wide as ever. To these people, he was the one bright spot in their day.

Dan loved this. He was helping Phil, and he was helping these people. If he’d gotten a few knowing glances, he chose to ignore them. At least no one had approached him yet and questioned his identity.

Instead of worrying, he watched Phil. Phil looked truly in his element here. Phil smiled just as wide as the people receiving the food, and he kept looking at Dan as if he was his whole world. 

He was so distracted with Phil and helping people, he didn’t notice a little boy coming closer.

When he felt a tug on his shirt, he turned around to be met with huge green eyes poking out from black hair. Dan knelt down next to the boy, fearing the worst.

This boy was named Noah, and Dan had raised him for nearly 4 years. He should still be living with some other former Howells, but he probably wanted Dan.

“Dad!” Noah exclaimed to Dan, giving him a hug.

“Hey little guy. I’m afraid I can’t spend a lot of time with you right now, but I promise I’ll come by soon,” Noah look sad, and it broke Dan’s heart to have to turn him away. But perhaps he’d come and visit them tonight. Reaching into one of his baskets, Dan offered a loaf of bread to Noah, “Take this home to your brothers, and tell them it’s a gift from Dan, ok? And also tell them that I’ll come by soon.” 

He gave Noah a kiss on the head before standing up, letting the little boy run off with his treasure. When he turned back around, he saw Phil staring at him curiously. When he’d seen Noah, he’d forgotten that Phil was there. Phil didn’t know his past, but he most certainly had some ideas based on that conversation.

He didn’t want to have to explain this all to Phil. Especially right here and now, in front of all the people he used to help. But instead of the confrontation Dan was expecting, Phil simply smiled at him and then continued handing out food.

 

Most of the day was spent handing out food. By the time they got back to the castle, the sun was just about to set. Instead of going up to his rooms to change, Phil instead decided to go out to the garden. Dan followed, because it was his duty to go wherever Phil went.

They reached the garden just as the sun began to set. Phil sat down on a bench facing the setting sun. He patted the seat next to him, silently asking Dan to sit with him. Dan sat down as well, shocked at the many hues of the sun.

The sky had become gorgeous strokes of reds and yellows and pinks. The clouds looked edible and the sky looked painted, and Dan never wanted it to end. He watched in wonder as the colors changed, having never seen something like this before. Buildings had always blocked the view of the sky when he was younger, and when he was older he had better things to do.

Instead of watching the sunset, Phil had been watching Dan. The light was reflecting off of his skin in wonderful ways, and overall, he just looked happy. His dimple had once again made an appearance, and Phil thought to himself that he should bring Dan to watch the sunset every day if this is what he looked like.

As if in a daze, Dan whispered, “It’s amazing, Phil.”

“Not as amazing as you.”

And even if Dan tried to hide it, Phil could still see the blush appearing on his cheeks.

But Phil didn’t want to do anything he’d regret tomorrow. So he just sat in silence, watching Dan watch the sunset.

Eventually, the sun had nearly gone down all the way. They were both lit only by the lights of the castle behind them. Dan turned to his right and plucked a single rose off the bush next to him. When he brought it into the light, Phil saw that it was one of the yellow ones.

Dan offered it to Phil, who gladly took it. Dan explained, “I want you to have this yellow rose. Yellow roses symbolize joy, and you’ve made a lot of people very happy, including me.”

Phil only offered a smile in return, because what could he say that would be enough for this gift.

 

Later that night, Dan snuck out once again. This time however, he was going to visit Noah and his brothers and sisters.

With only the moonlight as his guide, he found his way to their house. He knocked in a pattern only they would know, and they welcomed him in with open arms.

He’d snuck them out another loaf of bread, which was originally supposed to be Dan’s dinner. But they needed it more than he did. He could manage the hunger for one night. He and hunger were not strangers at all.

They all asked him what he was doing with a prince, even if it was a nice prince. So Dan told them about the rebellion and what he was doing, and they all swore an oath of secrecy.

And for much longer than he should have, he stayed with them and talked about what they’d been doing. He told stories of the castles and the royals and princes and princesses. And if he was lying a bit, who could blame him with how wide their smiles were.

He didn’t want to leave, but he reluctantly pulled himself away so he could sleep a bit more before tomorrow.

 

In his rooms, Phil admired the two roses sat next to each other. One peach, one yellow. Each from Dan, and each holding it’s own meaning. They were reminders that he was doing the right thing, and that their were good people still left in the world. They were hope, and they could keep Phil going even when he couldn’t find the motivation alone. 

They were reminders of Dan as well. As Phil fell asleep, he dreamed of Dan and he dreamed of a better tomorrow, where they could be who they were without persecution.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I'm gonna try to update this as much as I can, but it mostly depends on how much time I have to write.
> 
> Also, ideas and constructive criticism are always welcome.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Peach roses do symbolize gratitude, among other things.
> 
> I'll try to update this as often as I can, hopefully at least once a week.
> 
> If you want to send me prompts/questions/anything, my tumblr is liquid-lies.


End file.
